Parker Haymart
Research Mentor(s): Kristen Leer
Mentor Department: Communication and Media
Authors: Parker Haymart, Sarayu Uppara, Kristen Leer
Session: Session 2 (10:00am – 10:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 112
Abstract
Scholars have analyzed the representations of mental illness across a variety of media forms. Despite increased mental health representation in film and television, severe mental illnesses, in this case, schizophrenia, are often overlooked, unfairly stereotyped, or misunderstood. This study sought to understand how participants perceive a representation of schizophrenia in the television show Maniac (2018) and what aspects of this representation contribute to or challenge mental health stigma. This study had a mixed-method research design that combined survey data with focus group interviews. Students from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor were recruited for these focus groups, which focused on discussing their reactions and opinions of the show and its representation of schizophrenia. These focus groups occurred after watching the first and final episode of the series together. The rest of the series was independently watched and surveys were given to the participants throughout the independent viewing, which measured narrative transportation, viewing behaviors, and parasocial contact. This study was completed online over a week. Deploying thematic analysis, we report on two themes, 1. Stigma and Representation of Schizophrenia and 2. Critical Insights Into Accuracy. This analysis overall added to our understanding of how portrayals of characters with mental illness in media can generate fruitful conversations around mental health representation, stigma, the reality of mental illnesses, misunderstanding of severe mental illnesses, and how television impacts our perceptions of mental health. These findings emphasize the importance for television and other forms of media to have accurate and meaningful portrayals of characters with mental illness. Positive depictions of characters with mental illnesses like schizophrenia could result in people humanizing these characters and their struggles, decreasing internalized stigmas, or at least generating conversations around mental illness representation.
